queens—­standing before thee.  Despoiled of prosperity and deprived of (the company of my) husband without a protector, and afflicted with calamity, hither have I come, O best of mountains, seeking my husband.  Hast thou, O foremost of mountains, with thy hundreds of peaks towering (into the sky) seen king Nala in this frightful forest?  Hast thou seen my husband, that ruler of the Nishadhas, the illustrious Nala, with the tread of a mighty elephant, endued with intelligence, long-armed, and of fiery energy, possessed of prowess and patience and courage and high fame?  Seeing me bewailing alone, overwhelmed with sorrow, wherefore, O best of mountains, dost thou not today soothe me with thy voice, as thy own daughter in distress?  O hero, O warrior of prowess, O thou versed in every duty, O thou adhering to truth—­O lord of the earth, if thou art in this forest, then, O king, reveal thyself unto me.  Oh, when shall I again hear the voice of Nala, gentle and deep as that of the clouds, that voice, sweet as Amrita, of the illustrious king, calling me Vidharva’s daughter, with accents distinct, and holy, and musical as the chanting of the Vedas and rich, and soothing all my sorrows.  O king, I am frightened.  Do thou, O virtuous one, comfort me.’

“Having addressed that foremost of mountain thus, Damayanti then went in a northerly direction.  And having proceeded three days and nights, that best of women came to an incomparable penance grove of ascetics, resembling in beauty a celestial grove.  And the charming asylum she beheld was inhabited and adorned by ascetics like Vasishtha and Bhrigu and Atri, self-denying and strict in diet, with minds under control, endued with holiness, some living on water, some on air, and some on (fallen) leaves, with passions in check, eminently blessed, seeking the way to heaven, clad in barks of trees and deer-skins, and with senses subdued.  And beholding that hermitage inhabited by ascetics, and abounding in herds of deer and monkeys, Damayanti was cheered.  And that best of women, the innocent and blessed Damayanti, with graceful eye-brows, and long tresses, with lovely hips and deep bosom, and face graced with fine teeth and with fine black and large eyes, in her brightness and glory entered that asylum.  And saluting those ascetics grown old in practising austerities, she stood in an attitude of humility.  And the ascetics living in that forest, said, ‘Welcome!’ And those men of ascetic wealth, paying her due homage, said, ’Sit ye down, and tell us what we may do for thee.’  That best of women replied unto them, saying, ’Ye sinless and eminently blessed ascetics, is it well with your austerities, and sacrificial fire, and religious observances, and the duties of your own order?  And is it well with the beasts and birds of this asylum?  And they answered, ’O beauteous and illustrious lady, prosperity attendeth us in every respect.  But, O thou of faultless limbs, tell us who thou art, and what thou seekest.  Beholding thy beauteous